Blonde Locks GONE

Sorry for the break in postings... End of last week was filled with some bad news which we've been spinning on for a few days.  The tumor is getting bigger and after 3 weeks of treatment, that is quite disheartening... 

Instead of 2xdaily radiation which was the immediate response by the Rad Onc, the Docs have decided to add an antibody to the chemo treat. It's called Cetuximab (brand name Erbitux) and is injected through the veins like the chemo.  We'll learn more on Monday.

On Saturday, Sean Fraser, Bellace and Andy stopped by for a visit and to enjoy the last of the Fall rays from our yard.  Sean had the honor of shaving Tony's head and T actually looks pretty hot -- like a bad ass Rugby player :)

Go Giants!

Halloween: Loogies and Hair Loss

Well, today is about the inevitable physical side effects from chemo and radiation. 

This morning while Tony was showering, he noticed that his hair is falling out. This was inevitable but still difficult to swallow for both of us -- we both love his long, blonde locks.  In the scheme of things, this is a small thing because his hair will grow back as soon as the chemo is flushed from his system after treatment ends. What color the new hair will be.... TBD!

The last few days Tony has had considerable phlegm in his throat, which is the result of the radiation's effects on the mucous membranes in his mouth and throat.  It's getting thick and ropey (doctor's words not mine) and hard to get out.  Last night we had a suction machine delivered. It resembles the suction that your dentist gives you when you're drooling in the chair after a novacaine dose.  It's gross, but as Tony always says about bodily fluids and gasses -  "Better out than in, Mate!"

The weather is supposed to be beautiful this weekend and at this time of the yearsunny days give you inspiration and hope! TGIF and have a great weekend.

We have Wii

Tony and Rolly installed Wii Sports yesterday. If you have an extra 30 minutes and you want to swing by for a game of tennis or a round of golf, call ahead and Tony will design your character... hahaha... too funny. Too bad your can't design your outfit, that would be hilarious!

Thanks Brian and Wendy for being our first victims.

The Tumor is Growing!

Yesterday following radiation therapy, the consensus was that Tony's tumor wasn't shrinking as it should be this far into treatment, so they did another CAT scan.

Today was our weekly follow up meeting with the Radiation Oncologist and she confirmed that, indeed, the tumor is actually GROWING!  She said there could be three reasons; (1) fluid build up (2) inflammation from the radiation treatment, or (3) the worst case scenario, the cancer is growing.

A quick trip to the ENT with a tube up the nose and into the throat, confirmed it was not a fluid build-up.  Thus, we are preparing for the worst and the radiation plan is being intensified, with radiation twice a day starting tomorrow, until further notice. We are still waiting to meet with the Medical Oncologist to see if there is any change to the Chemo plan.

To add insult to injury (literally), Tony's throat and mouth are now too sore to swallow. He is barely getting water down, so all food (called nutrition in this industry), effective today and for the foreseeable future, will have to be provided through his feeding tube.  Which by the way, is making him crazy!

Thanks to everyone who volunteered to cook meals for us, consider yourself on "unpaid leave-of-absence" until the effects of chemo and radiation wear off, which could be months! :(  Poor Tony, he LOVES to eat, and feeding through a tube is not going to be particularly satisfying...

If anyone wants to help out, the best thing you could do for Tony is swing by for a visit, even a quickie. He is bored out of his mind! Once i know the schedule for afternoon radiation treatment, i'll let you know.

Sandie

Week 3 Begins with an Uneventful Monday

Monday marked the beginning of Week 3 of Tony's treatment. Nothing eventful to report :)  How nice!

Mouth is Getting Sore

Oops, i was so busy thanking all of our guests that visited today that i forgot to update you on Tony.

Sorry Baby!

Today is the first day that his mouth is starting to really bother him from the radiation. So... it is probably time to stick with softer foods and start considering the use of the feeding tube, although i know that does not excite Tony one little bit. As i mentioned before, it's totally painless and you can't even feel it ... it's just weird when it's happening to you.

All visitors -- please encourage Tony to drinks lots of fluids when you're visiting. This is not a habit that he is falling into easily but it is super important for hydration, constipation and overall health.

Doesn't have to be water. Juice, Gatorade, Ginger Al e-- whatever he can get down. Maybe join him for one.  There's beer in the fridge for visitors. Don't worry, Tony isn't even tempted these days.

Okay -- Good Night for real this time.

Sandie

Saturday busy with visitors!

Today was a busy day in our little cottage, starting with a visit from Gay Gardner with lots of healthy goodies to eat.  Thanks for volunteering to make us some meals Gay - can't wait to try the lentils, one of my favorites growing up... with lots of grated cheese on top of course!

Brian Lew is a regular, thanks Brian for being so supportive and coming over so frequently for visits. It makes Tony's day.

We also had a visit from Sean and MacKensie Fraser and their beautiful little Elsie from Breckenridge!  Little laughing faces sure cheeer up the place, and the dancing to rap music and You Tube videos is just hilarious! She has also adopted her daddy's contagious laugh ... hope she outgrows that before she starts dating.

Joel and Dana came up for a visit from Denver but unfortunately Tony crashed just beforehand... so the three of us enjoyed some awesome Chinese and they headed out to stay with another local friend.

We are now getting regular visits from Yukon, the 106 lb. Melamut from upstairs. I guess the few dog treats that I slipped him have made us BFFs and he pays us a visit whenever Nancy lets him out the door.  We just adore him and doggie love is good stuff! Maybe we should get a puppy..... :)

Well good night everyone. Sweet dreams. Think (more) snow!

Sandie

Belated Thank Yous!

I started this blog after a few unbelievable people went above and beyond, and I realized today as I was driving to Costco in a hailstorm, that i hadn't acknowledged them on the blog yet.

Barbara Scrivens!  Thank you so much for allowing Tony and I to stay in your Arrowhead condo during this difficult transition. We were kinda homeless for a couple of weeks and your offer to stay there was a God send!  Too bad we couldn't afford to stay for the entire winter, what a great place!

Dana and Joel Swing!  Tony calls you his Guardian Angels!  Dana and Joel spent a weekend with us just before Tony started treatment and tension and anxiety were high all around. Thank you for being there to just hang out, to prepare lots of healthy food, and of course, to help us move stuff down to our Eagle storage unit.

Thanks to Bruce Fraser for his truck and muscles and helping us move up to Singletree.

Friends with trucks and friends who offer to help you move, are friends in deed!  We can't thank you enough!


Tony and Sandie

TGIF and this one was better than last

For anyone following our blog regularly you may recall that I could not get Tony out of bed last Friday following a double down on radiation Thursday.  While Tony was pretty tired yesterday and this morning, we made it here without any assistance from Dennis or other big threatening men.

B.L.E.A.T.S are still on the menu for breakfast and Tony is trying to eat them everyday until his mouth hurts too much, cause they have lots of calories and protein.  Yesterday's treatment left his mouth a little sore so we are increasing the swishing with ReBalance which coats and soothes your tongue and throat and tries to prevent major sores (ick).

Tonys' ready to roll and I've gotta get to work, bring home the bacon.

TGIF. Sandie

Double Shift Thursdays

Every Thursday for 6 weeks, Tony has to go undergo radiation therapy not once, but TWICE in one day!  Can you imagine?  Ugh.  The only good part is that he gets a free ENSURE drink from the kitchen :)

Thanks to Rolly Heppinstall for playing carpool today to and from the Shaw Cancer Center, so I could get some work done!

Cheers!

Sandie

Hitting the Links!

On Wednesday following radiation treatment, Tony was feeling pretty good!  So he headed down to the storage unit to pick up his golf clubs, driving his car for the first time in 4 weeks!  ... and the rest is history.

He and Brian Lew and Scott Hall played 18 holes at the Sonnenalp Golf Course in Singletree and played until dark.

It must have been the BLEATS! And the Fresh Orange Butter cookies that he can't stop eating...

B.L.E.A.T.s for breakfast!

This morning we took on the calorie challenge with Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato, Egg and Avocado on Whole Wheat Bread.  Take that you feeding tube!

Tony ate half of mine also... i was so proud  :)

He's feeling good today, so if anyone is in the area for a visit, bring it on. Driving directions on a recent blog.

It's a beautiful day, enjoy!  I must get to work....

Sandie

Treatment Week 2 Begins

Today marked the beginning of the 2nd week of treatment.  Tony is on a very aggressive treatment plan, with the highest dose of chemo (200 MG) at days 1 and 28 and radiation 6x/week.

The good news is that he only has to undergo chemo therapy every 28 days... but the dosage is so high that it knocks him on his butt.  Typically 7-10 days following initial treatment (today) the chemo kicks back and nausea is really bad... So today he had to endure some extra TLC following radiation with IV nutrients and fluids.  Thanks for Dennis O'Halloran for getting him there this morning. The mornings are the hardest part.

And then we got some super-fun training on using the feeding tube.  Tony really enjoyed that (NOT).  Actually it's really easy, and not painful at all, just a little weird if it's happening to you.

While he was getting the TLC I attended a Support Group Luncheon held by Social Worker Vanessa Lewis.  She is from NYC.  Need i say more? She is  no-BS and fantastic. :)

When we got home there were beautiful lemon cookies from Brian and Wendy Lew. He's eaten half of them since we got home.  The nurses think he's not getting enough calories but i think he got enough today for the rest of the week.  Anything to avoid using that feeding tube!

Good night!

Sunday was a good day!

Although some of the NFL teams might disagree, Sunday was a good day in our household. Tony held his own all day long and his appetite was strong. The weekend was good to him in terms of some recuperation.

We finally got (mostly) unpacked in our new Singletree home. Thanks to Rolly for keeping us company Sunday night!

And thanks to Wren for two solid meals from the Antioxidant Bomb Mushrooms and Beans... I think they worked :)

Lotsa love. Sandie and Tony

Wendy's Lew Contact Information for Meals!

Wendy Lew has generously offered to help us coordinate meal donations throughout the next several weeks while Tony continues with radiation and chemo and I head back to work full-time at the Vail Daily. You can contact Wendy at 970-376-5662 or email lthootie@aol.com...

Wendy i'm not sure what that email address means, but it sounds interesting... maybe over wine? :)

Directions to our new home in Singletree

From Eagle Vail/Avon. Take Hwy 6 right towards Miller Ranch. Right on Winslow and under the bridge. Right on Berry Creek Road. Pass the Sonnenalp Golf Course/Balata. Left on Singltree Road. Right on Bronco. Left on Mustang.  About 200 yards on the right, there will be a long driveway that goes up over your right hand shoulder. Follow to the last house at the end, #21.  Walk around the front of the house, underneath the large second floor patio is the entrance to the caretaker unit. The door will be unlocked.

From Route 70 Westbound. Take the Edwards Exit, turn right and right again up the hill.  Follow through 2 stop signs. (Charolais and Winslow)  Pass  the Sonnenalp Golf Course/Balata. Left on Singletree Road. Right on Bronco. Left on Mustang.  About 200 yards on the right, there will be a long driveway that goes up over your right hand shoulder. Follow to the last house at the end, #21.  Walk around the front of the house, underneath the large second floor patio is the entrance to the caretaker unit. The door will be unlocked.

From Route 70 Eastbound. Take the Edwards exit, turn left, go under the highway and go right up the hill. Follow through 2 stop signs. (Charolais and Winslow)  Pass  the Sonnenalp Golf Course/Balata. Left on Singletree Road. Right on Bronco. Left on Mustang.  About 200 yards on the right, there will be a long driveway that goes up over your right hand shoulder. Follow to the last house at the end, #21.  Walk around the front of the house, underneath the large second floor patio is the entrance to the caretaker unit. The door will be unlocked.

Saturday and he's got the blues

Thanks to everyone who came over to visit Tony today to try to cheer him up today: Ara, Phil, Gareth, Brian and Caroline-thank you so much for your time and the goodies.

Wendy Lew has generously offered to coordinate with anyone who wants to help us with cancer-appropriate meals. Right now Tony can eat whatever he wants, but softer foods are working best.

There are plenty of "cancer" recipes online, but general ideas right now are high fiber, probiotics, potassium, calcium, lotsa vitamins, protein/omegas. Fruits and Lots of Veggies. Beans and legumes. Eggs. Go easy on cheese although Tony loves it. Multi-Whole grain whatever breads and pasta.

No-nos are processed foods, bleached-white grains, sugar. Although i'm slipping him the occasional dark chocolate which has healing powers :) Right????

His major challenge right now is dehydration, so if you are visiting please encourage he have a drink in his hand at all times--water/juice that is! Insist he drink 8 oz. of water or gatorade while you're visiting. He is supposed to drink 8-10 glasses of fluid per day, and it's not happening.

Good night!   Sandie

One week down... 5 to go

Friday a.m. was a rough morning. Tony was so exhausted from two sessions of radiation on Thursday that it was tough getting him rolling.... but thanks to Dennis O'Halloran for hauling him out of bed.

I hope that this weekend with no treatments or procedures, that he will regain some energy and spunk.

Monday we start with Radiation at 9:30, Nutrition Education at 10:30 and Follow-up visit for the Stomach Tube at 11:30. Full morning and my first day back to work! :)

For anyone cooking, he can still eat pretty well but prefers softer foods. Fish, whole grain pasta, beans, yogurt dishes, egg dishes.  Fiber is good too :) 

thanks to all for your love and support. Have a great weekend!

First day of Chemo

Tony's in the chair now, they're giving him saline and nutrients before the procedure. He's enjoying the free snacks from the snack bar in the chemo center. We have mountain views from our room, it's a very calming atmosphere. The nurses are great. The social worker popped in to talk to us. She is going to try to help us get a grant to cover some of the expenses.  Long day... radiation later at 4:15.

Countdown to Treatment

Today we did a "test-run" for the radiation therapy and got some education about the chemo process. Tony will be receiving a very aggressive level of chemo on treatment days 1 and 28. Radiation 6x/week (twice on Thursdays) for the next 6-8 weeks.

Radiation is at 9:30 am each day. If anyone isn't working and can pull a shift, especially on Thursdays where he has to go twice, please contact Sandie at 303-888-3132 to coordinate. We are living in Singletree effective 10/15 so it's a easy trip to the Shaw Cancer Center. Radiation therapy only takes about 30 minutes. Computers and wifi available to visitors.

Thanks to everyone for their wishes and prayers... and home made cooking.

Tony and Sandie